Electric treating and exercising machine



1. B. KIBLER. ELECTRIC TREATING AND EXERCISING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, I919.

Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. B, KIBLER. ELECTRIC TREATING AND EXERCISING MACHINE- APPLICATION man APR.30, 19:9.

1 44,002. Patented June 22, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

g djB/fzZZer 7 {JOHN B, KIBLER, or GIRARD, PENNSYLVANIA.

annncmrornnarme"Ann nxnnorsme MACHINE.

Application filed 'A rneo, 191a Serial in. 293,697.

T oall whomit may concern:

Be it known thatI, JorIN' B. Krnnnn, a citizen "of the United States, residing at Girard, 1n the county of'Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Electric Treat- A fect ing and Exercising Machines, of which the following isa specification. v j f This invention relates ,to' an improved electric treating and exercising machine and has as one of its principal objects to" provide a device whereby a patient may, co-' incidentlywith the-taking of physical exen cise, receive the stimulating effect of a .galvanic current "intermittently administered.

The invention has ai further object to provide a machine wherein fthecurrent will be administered while themuscles of the patient are under tension or, physical exertion 5 was to thereby enhance the "stimulating efof the currentupon the patient. y 'And the invention has as a still further object. to provide a machine which maybe adjusted for required to operate the device and whereln the resistance of the stimulating. current 'may be'also varied. I V Other and incidental; objects will appear hereinafter. In the drawings":

- Figural is afp'erspective of myimproved machine,

Figfl2 'is a plan view showing the casing of the 'device with the lid'removed,

Fig. '3 "is a perspective view showingthe plunger employed in detaihand H Fig. 4 isa transversesectionalview more particularly "illustrating the' mounting of theplunger. 1 1i if In carrying the'invention into effect, "I employ preferably oblong "casing 1O which, as shall later ap'pean, platform. This casing'm'aybe constructed of (wood or any other approved material and at itsiupper side is provided a lid or clotop strip 111: with which 'mates sure 1 12:5 for the casing removably secured thereon Fixed to ithe bottom wall of the casing adjacent ithe forward side thereof is a block 13 located substantially midway of the endsof 'the casing and mounted upon this block issan "ad ustable boxing; As

shown in detail in 'Fig. 14 0f the drawings,

the boxing is formed; of -mating arcuate plates 15 and 16 respectively,"the plate 15 'being countersunkin'fizthe block and being 1 Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d varying the; physical exertion provides a.

with a fixed suitably secured thereto. At their rear sides the plates are formed with mating lateral 'flanges17, the outer margins of which are bent up at substantially right angles and the upturned portion of the flange of the plate 15 is, at spaced points, provided with lugs 18 engaging over the upturned portion June 22,1920.

of the flange of the plate 16 so, thatthe iupper plate may fulcrum upon the lower plate. At their forward sides the plates are formed with mating lateral flanges 19. Coacting with these, flanges is a centrally located adjusting screw. 20 freely fitted through the flange of the plate 16 and having threaded engagement with the flange of the plate15, being provided with a. shoulder 21 bearing over the former flange so that this screw maybe adjusted for, swinging the of the casing. Within the boxing is arranged a friction element or liner 22' which is-preferably. formed from a piece of relatively thick; soft leather and slidable through this liner is a plunger 23. j The 'plungeris preferably tubular and is pro plate 16 toward the plate 15. As willbe observed upon reference vt0 Fig. 1, the adjust mg screw 20 extends up through the lid 12 vided at one end with'an annular flange 24 while a flanged plug 25 is threaded into the plunger at its opposite and. Surrounding the end portions of the plunger to engage one with the flange of the plugand the other with the flange 24, are cushioning springs 26 designed to coact with opposite ends of I the boxing" selectively for cushi'oning the plunger toward the end of its stroke. in each direction. Connectedto opposite endsjof the plunger are ropes or other suitable flexible' elements 27 which, are carried beneath pulleys 28 mounted upon the'ibottom'wall of the casing adjacent opposite ends thereof. From these pulleys the ropes are then directed upthrough suitable notches formed carrystraps29. These straps are each preferab'ly' equipped with a buckle so that the length of the'straps'm'ay be adjusted 'and freely connected with the. straps at their ends are handles 30 which, as will later appear, provide electrodes. To this end, the handles are equipped with binding screws 31fthreaded into corresponding ends of the grips of the handles. "In use, the patient 10 which thus provldes 'a'pla'tform for the stands upon the casing in the ends; ofthe lid 12ofjthe'casing and brought into play.

patient when one of the handles 30 is grasped in each hand. Then, by swmging first one arm and then the other, the plunger 23 may be reciprocated through the boxing.

therefor, the body being simultaneously rocked from side to side so that practically all of the muscles of the patient will be il hen the plunger is thus reciprocated, it will be seen that the friction element 22 will (react therewith for resisting longitudinal movement of the plunger so that considerable exertion will be required on the part of the patient in reciprocating the plunger. Furthermore as will be clear, the screw 20 r. be adjusted for tightening the friction oleu'ient about the plunger so tl at the tllrictional resistance to movement o1 she plunger will be increased accordingly. Thus, the physical exertion. required oi the patient to operate the device may be readily varied.

. F :ixed to the bottom wall of the. casing 10 in the rearof the'plunger 23 is a plate and mounted upon this plate is a circuit closer. This circuit closer includes an arm 32-3 pivoted at a point intermediate of its ends upon a pivot pin 84L u' )standing from the plate. Adjacent its outer end the arm formed or otherwise provided with a weigl'it and, as will now be observed, the free outer end of the arm projects into the path of travel oi. the flange 24!; upon the plunger. Upstanding from the plate 32 in the rear of the arm 38 is a pin 36 and corn nected at one end to this pin is a spring 36, the opposite end of which is engaged with the free inner end of the arm. Mounted upon the plate at opposite sides of the outer end of the arm are upstanding contact posts which, for been indicated at 37 and 38 respectively and as will now be clear, the spring 36 will normally maintain the free end. o l the arm midway betweenthese posts.

Projecting up through the fixed top strip 11 of the casing as well as the lid 12 thereof, is a battery, box 39 in which are mounted one or more batteries conventionally illustrated at 40. The box also contains an approved rheostat conventionally. designated at 4-1. This rheostat is connected inseries with the batteries. Upstanding from the fixed top strip 11 adjacent its ends are bindin posts 43 and 44-. A wire binding post 43 to the contact post 37 and a wire 46 connects these posts. Connected with the pivot pin 84- oi" the arm 33 is a wire 47 leading to the rheostat while a wire 4-8 leads from the batteries to the binder post 44. Extendingfrom the binding posts 43 and 44 to the binding screws 31 of the handles 30 are wires 49, it being observed in this connection that slack in these wires is provided so as to allow the free move ment of the handles.

D 40 leads from the convenience, have movement of the eluding a plunger,

Assuming now that a patient operating the device first pulls upon the handle at the left of Fig. 1, it will be seen. upon reference to Fig. 2, that the flange 21 upon the plunger 23 will be shifted into engagement with the-free end of the arm and will swing this arm toward the contact post However, before the arm reaches this post, the flange will clear the free end or the arm and thus release the arm when'the spring 37 will cause the arm to rebmnrd. and strike the contact post 37. UO'lllCk dently, the circuit through the handles or electrodes will, as will be apparent in view of the preceding description, be closed. so that the patient will, while undergoing the physical exertion oi? moviu the plunger, be subjected to the stimulating influence oi the current. 'lVhen the handle at the right of Fig. l is then pulled upon, the flange 2a upon the plunger will again on gage the free end of the arm 83 and more the arm toward the contact post 37. However, as in the former instance, the flange will release the arm before it reaches this contact post when the arm will rebound and strike the contact post 38. The circuit through the handles .or electrodes will thus again be closed for again stimulating the patient. Accordingly, it will be seen that as the patient shifts the plunger back and :lorth, an electric Clll'lBllt will be intermittently administered and this while the muscles of the patientare under tension. A maximum stimulating effect from the current will thus be had. Furthermore, as will be clear, the rheostattl may be operated for varying the resistance of the current at will.

Having thus described my inventionpvhat is claimed as new is: r

1. A device of the character described in eluding a plunger, means for resisting plunger, manually operable means for reciprocating the plunger including hand electrodes, and a circuit closer in circuit with said electrodes and operable by the plunger for closing the circuit through the electrodes.

2. A device of the character described inmeans for resisting movement of the plunger in opposite. directions, manually operable means for reciprocating the plunger including hand electrodes, and a circuit closer in circuit with the electrodes and operable bythe plunger when moved in each direction for momcntarily closing the circuit through the electrodes.

3. A deviceof the character described in 12s eluding a plunger, frictional means resisting movement of the plunger, manually operable means for reciprocating the plunger including hand electrodes, and a circuit closer 1n circuit. with said electrodes and operable by the plunger for closing the circuit through the electrodes.

4:. A device of the character described in cluding a plunger, means for resisting movement of the plunger, means for adjusting said first mentioned means whereby to vary said resistance, manually operable therethrough and adapted to resist movement of the plunger, manually operable.

means for reciprocating the plunger including hand electrodes, and a circuit closer in circuit with the electrodes and operable by the plunger for'closing the circuit through the electrodes.

' 5. A device of the character'described including a plunger, a boxing, a liner within the boxing slidably receiving the plunger means for reciprocating the plunger includ ing hand electrodes, and a circuit closer in circuit with said electrodes and operable by the plunger for closing the circuit through the electrodes. c

6. A device of the character described including a plunger, a boxing formed or mating plates, a liner disposed between said plates and slidably receiving the plunger therethrough, the liner being adapted to frictionally resist movement of the plunger, means for adjusting one of the plates with respect to the other whereby to tighten the boxing about the plunger, manually operable means for reciprocating the plunger including hand electrodes, and a circuit.

closer in circuit with said electrodes and 0perable by the plunger for closing the circuit through the electrodes.

7 A device of the character described including a plunger, manually operable means 'for reciprocating the plunger includinghand electrodes, a pivoted spring returned circuit closing arm in circuit with the electrodes, and means carried by the plunger to contact with said arm whenthe plunger is reciprocated and adapted to clear the arm whereby the. arm will rebound and momentarily close the circuit through said electrodes. r

9. A device of the character described in cluding a plunger, means for resisting movement of the plunger 1n opposite directions, means for cushioning the plunger toward the end of itsstroke in-opposite directions, manually operable means for reciprocating the plunger including hand electrodes, and a circuit closer in circuit with said electrodes and operable by the plunger for closing the circuit through the electrodes.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

JOHN B. KIBLER. a s.] 

